Houston doesn’t expect Paxton to accept debate challenge

Democratic candidate for attorney general Sam Houston challenges his opponent, state sen. Ken Paxton of McKinney, to a debate during a press conference at the Austin Club on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2014

AUSTIN – Democratic candidate for Texas attorney general Sam Houston on Wednesday challenged state Sen. Ken Paxton to a debate, but said he has little confidence his opponent has the willingness or ability to do so.

Speaking to reporters at the Austin Club, Houston said the public should question his Republican opponent’s openness and trustworthiness after Paxton admitted to repeatedly soliciting investment clients over the last decade without being properly registered with the state as an investment adviser representative.

“Mr. Paxton has voted to make certain conduct a felony. He then has knowingly violated that conduct before and since,” said Houston. “Now he says, ‘don’t indict me, don’t punish me even though I’ve made that a felony for other people. In fact, make me attorney general so I can enforce that statute.'”

Speaking after the event, Houston said “I have faith he won’t” accept the challenge to debate. “He hasn’t so far. Look, I don’t think he can. I mean, he’s going to have to answer that question and I don’t think he can answer it.”

Issues he’d like to address in a hypothetical debate include his opponent’s litigation experience as well as recent open records rulings dealing with volatile chemicals and Gov. Rick Perry’s travel schedule issued by outgoing Attorney General Greg Abbott.

Looking very much the trial lawyer, Houston stood between three exhibits showing the Texas Securities Act and the disciplinary order Paxton signed in early May admitting to the violation. Paxton was fined $1,000 and issued a reprimand. Texans for Public Justice, the same watchdog group that filed the original complaint against Gov. Rick Perry that eventually led to his August indictment, has also filed a complaint over Paxton’s noncompliance with the state ethics commission.

“You can’t hide behind spokespeople,” said Houston. “That’s Exhibit A that this man should not be attorney general.”

Paxton’s campaign called these and other statements untrue on Wednesday, but did not respond to Houston’s debate request.

“The Democrat is repeating falsehoods. Sen. Paxton was interviewed on Dallas television Monday night,” said Paxton spokesman Anthony Holm. “None of this is surprising. He’s losing by over 20 points including 2-to-1 in his home city (of Houston). This is a continuation of a political Hail-Mary.”

Houston said he did not find the poll credible, and noted he would be ramping up his own travel schedule in the coming weeks. He also will speak to the AFL-CIO on Wednesday, and then plans to hit the campaign trail along with Democratic candidate for Comptroller Mike Collier.

Paxton solidly defeated state Rep. Dan Branch of Dallas in the late-May Republican primary, thanks in part to a nod from U.S. Ted Cruz. Houston was not challenged in the Democratic primary. The general election is Nov. 4, 2014.

Lauren McGaughy is a reporter in the Houston Chronicle’s Austin bureau. She can be reached at lauren.mcgaughy@chron.com or on Twitter @lmcgaughy.